Squeegee



June 26, 1962 H l.. BAUMBACH 3,040,361

SQUEEGEE Filed Feb. 28, 1961 hatent Y aantast Patented June 26, 1962dfice 3,649,361 SQUEEGEE Harlan L. Baumbach, 14332 Muliioiiand Drive,

' Los Angeles 24, Calif. Filed Feb. 2S, 1961, Ser. No. 92,405 4' Claims.(Cl. 15-316) This invention relates generally to squeegees, andparticularly, to a uid squeegee which is characterized by its simplicityof construction, ease of cleaning, lack of precision parts, and economyof manufacture. j

Air squeegees are well known in the art and are frequently used toremove liquid, dust, and other contaminants from the surface or surfacesof a lmoving web. One of the more common applications of an air squeegeeis removing moisture, dust, and the like from thesurfaces of a motionpicture lm as the latter emerges from a photographic processing lbath.Air'squeegees are also commonly used in photographic printers forcleaning the film to be printed prior to passage of the latter past theprinting aperture.

Y 4The present squeegee is ideally suited to air cleaning motion picturelm. It is pointed out, however, and it will `be readily understood thatthe present squeegee is capable of general use for cleaning a continuousweb of any material. Moreover, while the following description refers toan air squeegee, cleaning liquids may also be used in the squeegee. lInthe latter case, of course, the

bodies, between which passes the web to be cleaned.

` These bodies are pivotally adjustable toward and Yaway squeegee wouldbe more aptly termed a liquid squeegee.

Numerous and different types of air squeegees have been developed. Oneof the most eflicient air squeegees is equipped with two squeegeebodies, between which the eb to be treated passes, and which arepivotal-ly mounted for movement toward and away from the web. Thesebodies have, at their opposing sides, long air gaps from which highvelocity streams of air discharge toward and along the moving web.

The spacing between the air gaps is adjusted, to accommodate thethickness of the web to be cleaned, by pivotal movement of the squeegeebodies toward or away from one another. The proper air gap spacing ismaintained by retaining the squeegee bodies in the proper setting.

A general object of this invention is to provide an i-m- Vproved andrelatively inexpensive air squeegee of the character described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a squeegee body`for an air squeegee of the character described which is simply andinexpensively -fabricated from sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a squeegee body for an airsqueegee of the character described which embodies a simple, uniquelyfor-med and adjustable air gap from whence issues the high velocity airstream for cleaning a web and which gap is lso arranged that the webbeing cleaned is maintained out of Contact with the squeegee parts by anair cushion.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air squeegee of thecharacter' described in which the air gap spacing is adjusted, toaccommodate the thickness of the web to be cleaned, in a new and uniquemanner.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an air squeegee ofthe character described and a squeegee body therefor which comprise arelatively few number of parts which can be readily disassembled andreassembled for cleaning or repair without disturbing the air'gapadjustament, are immune to mal-functioning, and are otherwise ideallysuited to their intended functions.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will becomereadily apparent as the description proceeds.

Briefly, the objects of the invention are attained by providing an airs` ueegee equipped with two squeegee from one another to vary thespacing between their air gaps for the purpose of `accommodating thethickness of the web. Each squeegee body includes an air chamber, havingthe air gap, which is uniquely and simply formed from a single tubulatedmetal sheet. The ends of this tubular air chamber are closed by endplates which extend beyond the air chamber to form supporting legs forpivotally mounting the squeegee body on a supporting structure.

The air gap of the squeegee lbody is uniquely formed between opposingedges of the tubulated metal strip from which the air chamber is formed.A screw extending between walls of this air chamber provides `a uniqueand simple means for adjusting this air gap. The squeegee may be easilydisassembled for cleaning or repair and then reassembled withoutdisturbing the air `gap adjustment. The air gap is also so designed thata venturi eifect is created between the squeegee body and the web beingcleaned. This action holds the web in close proximity to but out ofcontact -with the body and provides an air cushion between the web andbody.

Afb'ette'r understanding of the invention will be had from the followingdetailed description thereof, taken in connection with the annexeddrawing, in which:

FIG. l is a lvi'ew in perspective of a presently preferred embodimentofthe air squeegee of this invention showing a web to be cleaned passingthrough the squeegee;

FIG.y 2 is a view, on somewhat enlarged scale, looking in thedirectionof the arrow Z in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FiG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along line 4 4 in FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the adjustment of the air gap in the presentsqueegee.

The illustrated squeegee is denoted in its entirety by the numeral 14.Generally speaking, this squeegee comprises a supporting structure 12 tobe mounted on the frame 14 of a web handiing machine, two pivotallymounted squeegee bodies 16 which are urged toward one another -by aspring 18, an adjustable stop `2d for limiting this pivotal Amovement ofthe squeegee bodies, to vary the air gap spacing therebetween, and twoair hoses 22 for delivering air under pressure to the squeegee bodiesi6.

The squeegee bodies 16 are identical but reversed in' position. For thisreason, `only one of the squeegee bodies will be described, namely, thatappearing to the left in FIGS. l, 2 and 4. Squeegee body i6 comprises anair chamber 214 consisting simply of a tabulated, relativelyv heavygauge strip 26 of metal, such as stainless steel. Strip V2lb istubularly formed so as to provide the air chamber 24 with two flat,approximately parallel side walls 28 and 3i), aiirrstlarcuate,transverse Wall 32 which is interallyl joined with bothside walls 2S and 30, and a second arcuate, transversewall 34 which isintegrally joined only with side wall 28. Transverse wall 34 comprisesone end `portion of the metal strip 26 from which the air chamber isformed. This transverse wall extends from the side wall 2S around to theopposite side of the air chamber. Transvverse wall 34 terminates in anedge face 36 which is inclined at an acute angle to the adjacent innersurface of j the strip, as shown.

Side wall Sil of the air chamber comprises the other end ,portion of themetal strip 26. The adjacent terminal portion 38 of the strip overlapsthe edge face 36 in close nozzle. Air gap dd, of course, extends endwiseof the air chamber.

The terminal portion 42 of the transverse wall 34 is disposed at anobtuse angle with respect to the side Wall 3) of the air chamber, asmeasured between the inner surfaces of these parts. When the air chamber24 is in its operative position with respect to the web W being cleaned,which position is illustrated in FIG. 4, the terminal portion 42 of theltransverse wall 34 is generally tangentially disposed with respect tothe web W, while the side wall 3G Vof the air chamber inclines away fromthe web, as shown. The air gap dit directs air toward the web W as wellas along the web Win a direction opposing its direction of movement, asindicated by the arrows in PEG. 4.

The openv ends of air chamber 24 are closed by a pair of end plates 42.The plates are'iixed to the air chamber 24 by screws d4 which extendthrough the end plates and the air chamber and mount nuts 46 at theirends. These screws and nuts, therefore, clamp the end plates against theopen ends of the air chamber 24 and thereby close these ends. The endplates 42 will be observed to have a generally obtuse angled, triangularconfiguration. The air chamber 24 extends along one edge of these endplates, between one acute corner and the obtuse corner of the plates,with the side Wall 3ft of the chamber ush with the edge. The Iair gapdil of the chamber is aligned with the obtuse corners of the plates, asshown, so as to be positionable in close proximity to the yadjacentsurface of the web W to be cleaned.

The end plates ffl-2 extend `below the air chamber 24 to form supportinglegs 4S. These legs are somewhat tapered, as shown, because of thetriangular configuration of the end plates. Extending through the lowerends of j these supporting legs 48 are aligned bore-s which rotatablyreceive a supporting shaft 50. One end of this shaft is fixed in thesupporting structure 12, as shown. Lock washers 52 secure the supportinglegs 48 against axial movement along the lshaft 50 but permit pivotalmovement of the legs on the shaft.

Rigidly iixed to the end plate d2 adjacent the supporting structure l2is an inlet nipple 54. This nipple has an inlet passage 56 opening tothe interior of the `air chamber 24. The hose 22 lits over and is fixedto this nipple so that air under pressure can be delivered to theinterior of the air chamber.

Extending rotatably through a hole in the side wall of the air chamberand threaded in the wall 28 is a screw 5S. Adjustment of this screwvaries the width of the air gap dil as will presently be described.

-t will be recalled that the right-hand squeegee body 16 in the drawingis identical to the left-hand body, just described. Moreover, theright-hand squeegee body is pivotally mounted on the supportingstructure l2 in identically the same way as the left-hand squeegee body.It is evident, therefore, that the two squeegee bodies can pivot orswing toward and away from one another. It is also evident from aninspection of FlG. 4 that this pivotal movement of the bodies varies thespacing between the air gaps 4d of the two bodies.

The two squeegee bodies 16 are constantly urged toward one another bythe spring 18. As shown best in FIG. 2, the ends of this spring arehooked over projections .60 on the two bodies so as to urge the lattertogether as just mentioned. Mounted on the supporting structure or plate12, by the pin and slot means 62 illustrated in FIG. 2, is an adjustablestop 64. As `Shown best in FIG. 3, this stop has a iinger 66 whichengages between the downwardly diverging, opposing edges 68 of thesupporting legs 248 of the air squeegee. lt is evident that when thestop 64 is moved upwardly, as the air squeegee is viewed in the drawing,the stop linger 66 is forced between the leg edges d and thereby forcesthe squeegee bodies 16 apart to increase the spacing between the airgaps 49. In this way, the spacing can be adjusted to accommodate any webthickness. The stop ed can be locked in position by meansof the clampscrew which forms the pin of the pin and slot connection d2.

in operation, the web W to tbe cleaned is fed upwardly between thesqueegee bodies d6 by a transport mechanism, not shown. During thisupward travel of the web, air under pressure is delivered to theinteriors of the air chambers 2d through the hoses 22. The airisdischarged through the air gaps dit as high velocity jets or streams. Ithas been found that the Obliquity of the air gap 40 with respect to theadjacent terrmnal portion 42 of each squeegee body creates a conditionat the outer end of the passage which turns the air stream issuing fromythe gap toward the squeegee body and tends to cause the stream tofollow around the lower end of the body. In other words, the air streamemerging from the air gap e@ of each body ows lengthwise of the webbetween the latter and the a .jacent squeegee body. This creates aventuri effect between 4the body and web which holds the latter in closeproximity to the body. The Web is held out of actual contact with thebody by the air cushion between these parts.

As the web W feeds up between the squeege bodies 16, the moisture, dust,or other contaminants on the surfaces of the web encounter air streamsof ever increasing velocity which reach a maximum opposite the air gaps4Q. The surfaces of the web are -thereby quickly cleaned of thesecontaminants so that the web emerging from the air squeegee is perfectlyclean.

When cleaning motion picture film, of course, it is essen* tial to avoidcontact of the film with the squeegee bodies 16 in order to preventmaning of the iilm. Such contact is avoided, as just explained, by theair cushion which is created between the web and each squeegee body.Preferably, of course, the web is centered between the bodies whichrequires balancing of the air streams from the air gaps 4d.

This balancing of the air streams can be accomplished by adjustment ofthe lair gaps. As mentioned earlier, adjustment of the air gaps 40 isaccomplished by the screws 53. Thus, when screw 5S in the right-hand airchamber 24 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the' end wall 30 isbent or deiiected toward the opposite side wall 28 and its terminalportion 33 approaches the opposing edge face 36 of the sheet metal strip26 to decrease the width of the -air' gap 4d, as indicated in phantomlines in FlG. 5. Similarly, rotation of the screw 58 in the oppositedirection releases the holding force on the side wall 39 which thensprings outwardly to increase the width of the 'air gap atl, also asshown in phantom lines in FIG. 5. Thus, by ine adjustment of the air gapwidths,-the web W or film to be cleaned can be balanced between, andthereby maintained out of contact with, the squeegee bodies.

One highly important advantage of the present squeegee 4is that thelatter can be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning, by removingthe screws 44 toV release the air chamber 24 for removal from `betweenthe end plates 42, without disturbing the adjustment of its air gap all,The advantage of not having lto reset the air gap after each cleaning isobvious.

As explained earlier, While'the invention has been described as an airsqueegee, it can, as well, be used to direct streams of cleaning liquidagainst Ia web.

Clearly, therefore, the invention herein described and illustrated isfully capable of attaining the objects and advantages preliminarily setforth.

While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed and illustrated, numerous modiications in the design,arrangement of parts, and instrumentalities of the invention are clearlypossible within the spirit yand scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a squeegeea pair of squeegee bodies each comprising a chamber andend plates secured to the ends of said chamber and extending beyond thechamber to form a pair of aligned supporting legs having aligned bores,a

supporting structure, parallel, aligned shafts on said struc- .turepassing through the aligned bores of said legs, respectively, to supportthe latter for pivotal movement toward and away from one another, saidchambers having gaps in their opposing sides, the spacing between whichis varied by said pivotal movement of the bodies, a spring connected tosaid bodies for urging the latter together, the opposing edges of saidlegs of the two squeegee bodies diverging in the direction ofthe pivotalends of the legs, a stop on said supporting structure having a ingerengagingbetween said opposing edges, whereby said gap `spacing isadjustable by movement of said nger along said edges, and means to xsaid stop in itsk adjusted position.

2. A squeegee comprising a pair of tubulated metal strips each forming achamber open at its ends, a pair of plates seating against and closingthe ends of each chamber, bolts extending through each chamber and itsrespective end plates for joining the respective chambers and endplates, a fluid inlet to each chamber, one end of each pair of endplates extending beyond the respective chamber to 'form alignedsupporting legs having coaxial bores, la supporting structure includinga pair of parallel supporting shafts extending through the bores in saidpairs of supporting legs, respectively, and supporting said chambers forpivotal movement toward and vaway from one another, means for urgingsaid chambers toward one another, stop means for limiting pivoting ofsaid chambers toward one another to positions wherein said chambers areslightly spaced, and the ends of each tubulated metal strip beingproximately disposed to form a gap extending endwise of the respectivechamber and opening to the space between the chambers.

3. A squeegee comprising a pair of squeegee bodies each including atubulated metal strip forming a chamber n open at its ends, a pair ofplates seating against and closing the ends of each chamber, boltsextending through each chamber and its respective end plates for joiningthe respective chambers and end plates, a fluid inlet to each chamber,one end of each pair of end plates extending beyond the respectivechamber to form aligned supporting legs having coaxial bores, asupporting structure i11- cluding a pair of parallel supporting shaftsextending through the bores in said pairs of supporting legs,respectively, and supporting said chambers for pivotal movement Itowardand away from one another, means for urging said chambers toward oneanother, stop means for limiting pivoting of said chambers toward oneanother to positions wherein said chambers are slightly spaced, one endof each tubulated strip having an edge face extending endwise of therespective chamber and disposed at an acute angle to the adjacent innersurface of the respective strip and the other end of each stripoverlapping said edge face of the respective strip, whereby to define agap between said ends of each strip, the gaps of said chambers openingobliquely to the space between the chambers, and a screw extendingbetween said other end of each strip and another iside of the respectivechamber for adjusting the width of the respective gap.

4. A squeegee comprising a pair of tubulated metal strips each forming achamber open at its ends, a pair of plates seating against and closingthe open ends of each chamber, bolts extending through each chamber andits respective end plates for joining the respective chambers and endplates, a iiuid inlet to each chamber, one end of each pair of endplates extending beyond the respective chamber to form alignedsupporting legs having coaxial bores, a supporting structure having twoparallel shafts extending through the bores in said pairs of supportinglegs, respectively, and supporting said chambers for pivotal movementtoward and away from one another, means for urging said chambers towardone another, stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said chamberstoward one another to given limiting positions, one end portion of onetubulated :strip and one end portion of the other tubulated strip beingdisposed in approximately parallel, -slightly spaced, opposingrelationship when said chambers occupy said limiting positions anddefining therebetween a narrow space in a plane parallel to and passingmidway between said shafts through which a strip to be cleaned isadapted to move, said end portions of said strips each having an edgeface extending endwise of the respective chambers and disposed at anacute angle to the adjacent inner `surface of the respective strip andthe other end of each tubulated strip overlapping said edge face of itsrespective strip to define a gap oblique to said plane and opening tosaid space, and a screw extending between said other end of each stripand another side of the respective chamber for adjusting the width ofthe gap on the respective chamber.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS392,082 Turner Oct. 30, 1888 1,623,528 De Moos Apr. 5, 1927 2,057,903Moreland et al Oct. 20, 1936 2,882,611 Debrie Apr. 21, 1959

